Tracy Beckerman is Lost in Suburbia and trying to hold onto just a little bit of her former, COOL, pre-mom self!

What NOT to do with the Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

About this blog

Nationally syndicated columnist and author Tracy Beckerman is \x34Lost in Suburbia\x34 ­ managing the chaos with a healthy dose of humor. Her next book, a \x34momoir,\x34 will be published in spring 2013. She contributes to many online mom sites,
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Nationally syndicated columnist and author Tracy Beckerman is \x34Lost in Suburbia\x34 ­ managing the chaos with a healthy dose of humor. Her next book, a \x34momoir,\x34 will be published in spring 2013. She contributes to many online mom sites, including www.todaysmama.com, www.rolemommy.com and www.newjerseymomsblog.com and is an official blogger for Lifetime Television's hit show, \x34The Balancing Act.\x34 She also does stand-up comedy and has appeared at venues including The Comic Strip Live in NYC and The Erma Bombeck Workshop in Dayton, Ohio. Before she became a columnist, Beckerman was a writer and producer in the television industry for 10 years, managing the advertising & promotion department at WCBS-TV New York. Tracy is married to a very understanding guy. They have two children and live in New Jersey where she writes, does battle with woodchucks and avoids, at all costs, driving a minivan.

“All this leftover Turkey!” she beamed as I surveyed the inside of my refrigerator.

I gave her a withering smile. I’m always thankful for a little bit of leftover turkey. But this year, we had so much turkey leftover, we needed a veritable chicken coop to keep it in. It seemed like I was on a holiday roll. I bought too much candy for Halloween and too much turkey for Thanksgiving. Naturally, with so much leftover food to eat, there was also starting to be too much Tracy around my middle.

I stared at all containers and baggies of turkey and wondered what I could do to use it in a way that wouldn’t have my family start gobbling in protest. If there were a recipe for turkey with candy, I’d be golden.

“What should we do with the Turkey?” I asked her.

“What do you mean?”

“Its fun to come up with new ways to serve the turkey after Thanksgiving so you don’t feel like you are having Thanksgiving dinner at every meal,” I explained.

She looked around the kitchen for inspiration.

“We could put it in the blender and make Turkey Shakes.”

I shook my head. Even if we added chocolate syrup, the idea made me slightly nauseated.

“We could freeze it on popsicle sticks and make Frozen Turkey Pops.” She said enthusiastically.

I wrinkled up my nose.

“Peanut Butter and Turkey sandwiches?” she suggested. I’m definitely from the “Everything Tastes Better with Peanut Butter” school, but this concept just seemed to defy the theory.

At that point, I realized that getting recipe suggestions from a ten year-old might not be the best idea.

“I’m sorry Sweetie. I just don’t think any of those will work.”

“Well, what do YOU think we should do with the Turkey?” she asked.

I closed the refrigerator door and smiled.

“Leave it in the fridge and eat the leftover Halloween candy, instead.”